Stressed chain fence

ABSTRACT

A tightening arrangement for a chain adapted to be strung rigidly between adjoining pluralities of post members; a screw type tightening device is attached to the first and last of the plurality of post members which have bracket means to which the ends of the chain can be releasable attached so that when the screw type tightening means are turned the chain is drawn in opposite direction to tighten the chain; the intermediate post members between the end posts are each provided with a hook for hooking attachment of said chain thereto between adjoining chain links; the intermediate hook members on the intermediate posts are pivotable to permit take-up of any slack in the chain between adjoining posts.

United States Patent [is] 3,661,360 Windham [4 1 May 9, 1972 [541 STRESSED CHAIN FENCE 529,374 11/1894' Fitzgerald; ..256/37 1,011,749 12/1911 'Colvin ..256/37 [721 28 1,119,671 12/1914 Barnes et al ..256/37 ux [73] Assignee: General Safety lnc., Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. 'y Bummer-Dennis Taylor Filed Nov 12 1970 Attorney-Settle and Oltman 21 Appl. NOJ 88,844 1571 ABSTRACT A tightening arrangement for a chain adapted to be strung [52] us. c1. ..256/37, 256/1, 256/47 rigidly between adjoining Plurallities M P members; a Screw [51] Int i 17/02 I type tightening device is attached to the first and last of the [58] Field 6: Search ..256/37 48, 3s, 39 1,40 Pluramy members which have bracket means which 254/98 [60 5 54 5 the ends of the chain can be releasable attached so that when the screw type tightening means are turned the chain is drawn [56] References Cited, in opposite direction to tighten the chain; the intermediate post members between the end posts are each provided with a UMTED STATES PATENTS hook for hooking attachment of said chain thereto between adjoining chain links; the intermediate hook members on the 3,439,898 4/1969 clefeland 256/48 x intermediate posts are pivotable to permit take-up of any slack 7 i 33: in the chain between adjoining posts. 465,169 12/ l 891 Eckley ..256/37 4 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTEDMM 9 1972 I 3,661,360

INVENTOR.

v EDWARD F WINDHAM.

SETTLE a OLTMAN.

ATTYs.

srnnssan CHAIN FENCE BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION of such barricades are made of inexpensive lumber which, ob-

viously, afterprolonged exposure to the elements, bend and crack and thus lose their efiectivenessas a safety barrierunless the cracked or otherwise damaged lumber is replaced which, obviously, will not be done inmost cases since this requires constant inspection of the safety. barriers at additional expense. Similarly ,-the conventional safety barriers or barricades made of cheap lumber are, in most cases, not recoverable, particularly if exposed to the elements for a long time resulting in expensive waste of material.

Accordingly, in view of the abovedisadvantages of conventional safety barriers between floors of buildings under construction, the present invention provides an improved fully recoverable safety barrier or fence which can be erected in a short time and will not deteriorate under adverse weather conditions and which can be disassembled in a similarly short time, after serving its purpose, to be reused.

The improved safety barrier or fence of the present invention is adapted to be erected between a'plurality of aligned, temporary, extendable post members between the floor-and ceiling of any of thevarious levels of the buildingunder construction and, in effect, provides a rigid longitudinal rail between the extendable post members for theworkmen to hold onto. The improved .safetybarrier or fence will not give way, even after prolonged installation and has individually adjustable means associated-with each of the extendable. post members to take-up any slack which may occur between adjoining post members.

The present invention is utilized in combination with a plurality of spaced reusable stanchion members extended in vertical position between a floor and ceiling of the building and comprises a chain of high tensile strength, tightly stressed across the stanchions and securely fastened to each individual stanchion. All of the materials of the present invention for the safety barrier are made of high strength metal to provide wear and corrosion resistance. The improved safety barrier, once erected, cannot be accidentally removed but, rather, requires a conscious effort, such as cutting of the chain, which is not likely to be encountered in normal work procedures on the building. The present improved safety barrier or fence may be.

employed on various levels of the building as it is erected and does not result in scrap or extensive deviation in the cost between the difierent floor levels and thus provides a relative accurate cost estimate, since there are none or only a few variances to contend with.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide an improved safety barrier or fence for the various levels of a building under construction including a plurality of extensible stanchions between floorand ceiling of eachlevel and each having means to support a chain and chain means spanning the distance between adjoining. stanchions and tightly secured thereto.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved safety barrier or fence which is adapted for-adjustable reuse on various levels of a building under construction, and the span of which being adjustable according to requirements encountered in the construction of the building.

It is afurther object of the present invention to provide a safety barrier orfence which is relatively movable, may be utilized repeatedly without scrap or waste of materials and I which is strong and sturdy to act as a positive, force resistant barrier to prevent any accident which may be caused by the impact there against by a person or any movable part used in the erection of the building.

' The present invention will be best understood by reference to the following detailed description in connection with the accompanying drawings which illustrate a ment thereof.

. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Theattached drawings schematically illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention in which:

FIG. 1 is a partial side elevation view of a floor level of a building under construction and illustrating the present invention in assembled position;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged separate view of an important detail of the present invention, particularly the end tightening means;

FIG. 3 is a perspective illustration of the end tightening means shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a partial front view showing the adjustable atpreferred emboditachment of the present improved safety barrier to an individual stanchion;

FIG. 5 is a transverse cross-section through the stanchion and safety barrier attachment shown in FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a separate perspective illustration of the improved, individually adjustable, slack take-up member adapted to securely attach the improved safety barrier to the individual stanchions of the building.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION pressure pad 20 and upper pressure pad 22 and an adjustable jack assembly indicated at 24. It will be understood that any number of stanchions 16 to 19 may be utilized, depending entirely on the'length of the respective side of the individual floor level.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the individual stanchions are interconnected by the present improved safety barrier or fence, I generally indicated at 26, which comprises a length of chain .28 extending across all of the stanchions from end to end. It I will be understood that, although only one safety barrier or fence 26 is shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of identical safety barriers may-be utilized across the stanchions and vertically spaced in'relationship to each other, depending on any particular safety requirement.

As more in detail shown in FIGS. 2,4 and 6, the chain 28 of 'the improved safety barrier is composed of a plurality of identical individual chain links-30 hooked to each other in conventionally known manner. Each individual chain link 30 vhas an enlarged center portion 32 which serves a purpose hereafter to be described.

As seen inFIG. l, the stanchions 16 and 19 designate left and right hand outer stanchions. The intermediate stanchions between'the stanchions 16 and 19, only two of which are indicated at. 17 and 18, are each provided with at least one pivotable hood-member 34, securely attached to the respective stanchion.

With particular reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, the hook member 34 has an elongated chain receiving hook portion 36 which one end terminates into a shank portion 38 for pivotal extension through oppositely aligned apertures 40 provided in the stanchions l7 and 18. The end of the shank portion 38 is which the hook member 34 is retained on the stanchions. The

shank 38 of the hook member 34 is free to rotate within the apertures 40 provided in the stanchion for a purpose to be described hereafter.

Each of the outer stanchions 16 and 19 are provided with opposed identical chain stresser assemblies 46, only one of which is needed to be described in detail.

With further particular reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, the chain stresser assembly 46 is composed of a chain attaching member 48 provided with a pair of opposed side rails 50 and 52 respectively. A bracket 54 is secured between the outer ends of the side rails 50 and 52, which is of L-shaped form providing an upstanding flange portion 56 joined to a horizontal flange portion 58 at a right angle thereto. The bracket 54 is provided with a central slot 60 which extends through the flange portion 58 and partially into the upstanding flange portion 56.

The inner end of the opposed side rails 50 and 52 support a sleeve member 62 in between them suitably secured thereto as by welding or the like. The sleeve member 62 is adapted to rotatably receive the non-threaded end 64 of a screw 66. The non-threaded end 64 of the screw 66 is rotatably retained within the sleeve member 62 by any conventional means such as a retaining ring, by staking or by means of a cotter pin or the like, to prevent separation of the screw 66 from the sleeve member.

The screw 66 is threaded through a stationary nut member 68 which is securely attached to the respective outer stanchion 16 and 19 in substantially longitudinally aligned position with the hook members 34. As seen in FIG. 2, the screw member 68 is provided with a threaded stud 70 for extension through appropriate apertures in the stanchion l6 and 19. The other end of the threaded stud 70 is adapted to receive a nut 72 for fastening of the nut member 68 to the stanchion. The outer end of the screw 66 is provided with a handle or the like 76 for rotation of the screw 66 within the nut member 68. Thus, upon rotation of the screw 66 by means of the handle 76 in either clockwise or counter-clockwise direction, the screw 66 will be caused to move longitudinally relative to the stationary nut member 68 to thereby move the chain retaining member 48 towards or away from the stanchion.

In operation of the present improved safety barrier device, the length of chain 28 is attached to consecutive ones of intermediate stanchions 17-18 by slipping the chain into the gap 37 of the hook portion 36 of the respective hook members 34, as seen in FIG. 6. The gap 37 of the longitudinal hook portion 36, is of such dimension as to permit insertion of an individual chain link 30 along the flat end portion of the chain link, so that the enlarged central portion 32 of the individual chain link resists removal of the chain from the hook portion 36 when stretched in longitudinal direction.

Initially, the chain is stretched manually between adjoining intermediate stanchions 17-18 which may cause pivoting of the individual hook members 34 in one or the other direction, as is indicated in FIG. 4.

On end each of the chain 28 is inserted in the respective slot 60 of the opposite chain stressers 46 in which they are held by means of the enlarged central portion 32 of the chain link 30. The chain 28 is then tightened between the stanchions 16 to 19 by rotation of the handle 76 of the opposite stresser devices 46.

First, the left hand stresser device 46 is operated by rotation of the handle 76 to move the chain retaining member 48 towards the stanchion 16, taking the chain 28 with it. Due to the pivotal connection of the hook members 34 on the intermediate stanchions 17-18, the entire chain is permitted to move when the left hand stresser device 46 is operated, causing the hook members 34 to be pivoted towards the left in FIG. 1. This operation takes up the initial slack in the length of chain 28. Thereafter, the right hand stresser device 46 is operated by rotation of the handle 76 to cause movement of the chain 28 towards the right in FIG. 1. This final chain stressing operation back stresses the chain in order to take up any residual slack in the chain which may cause some or all of the pivoted hook members 34 along the intermediate stanchions to pivot back towards the right in FIGS. 1 and 4.

Once the chain 28 has been secured and tightened in the foregoing manner between the stanchions 16 to 19, normally no further adjustment or retightening of the chain will be necessary, since the chain is being held in the tightened position by the opposite screw operated stresser devices 46 which do not permit the chain to loosen. I

The slot arrangement 60 in the stresser devices 46 as well as the hook construction 36 of the intennediate hook members 34 in conjunction with any individual chain link 30 are such as to not permit the chain to slip therethrough once the chain has been attached.

It will be obvious from the foregoing description, that the present invention provides an improved temporary safety barrier or fence for erection along the outer margins of the floor levels of a building under construction which can be quickly attached and disattached. The chain type safety barrier of the present invention, after being installed, provides a substantially rigid rail between adjoining stanchions of the building, which is not effected by weather conditions and which is fully recoverable for reuse.

The primary feature of the present invention is the provision of pivotable chain securing members attached to intermediate stanchions to permit effective stressing of the chain while attached to the stanchions, first in one direction and then in the other direction for back stressing, the entire chain being movable along the stanchions due to the pivotal connection of the chain retaining hook members.

Although only one chain has been shown in FIG. 1, it is obvious that a plurality of chains could be employed in the same manner in vertically spaced relationship to each other to provide a multiple chain safety barrier.

Although the present invention has been shown and described herein in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it will be obvious that various departures may be made therefrom in construction and detail within the spirit and characteristic of the invention as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In combination with a plurality of stanchions disposed in vertical position between the floor and ceiling slabs of a floor level of a building under construction and spaced along the outer margins thereof; said stanchions being interconnected by a safety barrier spanning all of said stanchions at a preselected height, the improvement comprising: a length of chain extending between and along the plurality of said stanchions to span the distance between each adjoining pair of stanchions, the length of chain defining said safety barrier; hook means pivotally mounted on each of said stanchions and each hooking into a link of said chain for securing and supporting said chain on said stanchions; said hook means being pivotable to permit lengthwise movement of said chain in both directions along said stanchions; tightening means secured to the outer most of said stanchions at opposite ends of said chain; said tightening means each including a keeper securing the ends of said chain thereto and a manually operable actuating means to draw said keeper of each of said tightening devices towards its respective outer most stanchion in opposite direction to thereby tighten said chain when said chain ends are attached thereto ,said opposite tightening devices being adapted to draw said chain first in one direction to takeup the initial slack and then in the other direction for back stressing to takeup any residual slack in said chain; said chain being permitted to move lengthwise along said stanchions by means of the provision of said pivotable chain retaining hook means.

2. In the improvement as defined in claim 1, said pivotable chain retaining means comprising: a hook member having an outer hook portion and a threaded shank portion, each of said stanchions having apertures therein for pivotal extension of said shank portion therethrough and a nut member to secure said threaded shank portion to said stanchion; said chain being composed of a plurality of individual identical chain links, each of said chain links having an enlarged central portion and flattened end portions; said flattened end portion of a selected chain link being adapted to be slid into said narrow hook portion of said hook member whereby said enlarged central portion of said chain link prevents lengthwise removal of said chain link from said hook member.

3. In the combination as defined in claim 1, each of said opposite tightening devices including a screw member rotatably attached to said keeper; said outer most of said stanchions having a nut member stationarily secured thereto for threading engagement with said screw member and handle means at the outer end of said screw member to rotate said screw member within said nut member to thereby move said keeper towards or away from said stanchion.

4. The combination as defined in claim 3 in which said keeper comprises a hoop mounted on said screw and having an outer end portion with a slot therein receiving a flat portion of a chain link. 

1. In combination with a plurality of stanchions disposed in vertical position between the floor and ceiling slabs of a floor level of a building under construction and spaced along the outer margins thereof; said stanchions being interconnected by a safety barrier spanning all of said stanchions at a pReselected height, the improvement comprising: a length of chain extending between and along the plurality of said stanchions to span the distance between each adjoining pair of stanchions, the length of chain defining said safety barrier; hook means pivotally mounted on each of said stanchions and each hooking into a link of said chain for securing and supporting said chain on said stanchions; said hook means being pivotable to permit lengthwise movement of said chain in both directions along said stanchions; tightening means secured to the outer most of said stanchions at opposite ends of said chain; said tightening means each including a keeper securing the ends of said chain thereto and a manually operable actuating means to draw said keeper of each of said tightening devices towards its respective outer most stanchion in opposite direction to thereby tighten said chain when said chain ends are attached thereto ,said opposite tightening devices being adapted to draw said chain first in one direction to take-up the initial slack and then in the other direction for back stressing to takeup any residual slack in said chain; said chain being permitted to move lengthwise along said stanchions by means of the provision of said pivotable chain retaining hook means.
 2. In the improvement as defined in claim 1, said pivotable chain retaining means comprising: a hook member having an outer hook portion and a threaded shank portion, each of said stanchions having apertures therein for pivotal extension of said shank portion therethrough and a nut member to secure said threaded shank portion to said stanchion; said chain being composed of a plurality of individual identical chain links, each of said chain links having an enlarged central portion and flattened end portions; said flattened end portion of a selected chain link being adapted to be slid into said narrow hook portion of said hook member whereby said enlarged central portion of said chain link prevents lengthwise removal of said chain link from said hook member.
 3. In the combination as defined in claim 1, each of said opposite tightening devices including a screw member rotatably attached to said keeper; said outer most of said stanchions having a nut member stationarily secured thereto for threading engagement with said screw member and handle means at the outer end of said screw member to rotate said screw member within said nut member to thereby move said keeper towards or away from said stanchion.
 4. The combination as defined in claim 3 in which said keeper comprises a hoop mounted on said screw and having an outer end portion with a slot therein receiving a flat portion of a chain link. 